The Family Connection
by SouperInsaneNinja
Summary: Haruka Goldberg and Rikia Himura are cousins. Haruka is a juvenile delinquent who is haunted by her past. Rikia is a below average teenager who has lost his place in the world. The two have no hope for themselves. At least, that's what they believe. But after an old merchant woman gives them a special seal with the kanji for change written on it, everything changes.


A/N: ...

Hello everyone. I apologize for my leave of absence. I have no other excuse than laziness...and discouragement, I suppose. After writing the most recent chapter of Meeting My Ancestors I realized how ridiculous it all sounded. And it is that ridiculousness that lead me to discouragement.

Now, after nearly two years of procrastination, I'm back! However, I am completely reconstructing this story(and changing the title). I'm also going to give my characters(formerly Nazonoko and Kenkaku; now Haruka and Rikia) a few chapters worth of back story. The first thing I noticed in my read through was how transparent Nazonoko and Kenkaku seemed because no one knew who the heck they were.

In most fan fiction, I've noticed that the OC never really gets much actual back story; it just kicks off right where they meet whatever characters of whatever fandom . I've found that I don't like that. Who are these people? Why are they significant? Why should I care about their actions or their relationship with another character? Why indeed.

Therefore, I'm including back story.

A few other changes are needed, too. Like the point of view. I'm not going to keep jumping around like I used to. I'll start in third person, I'll stay in third person. Point of view jumping hardly ever works and I believe it certainly wasn't working for me. So that's a big change, I suppose.

Of course the character's personalities will change(I'm referring to Haruka (Nazonoko) and Rikia(Kenkaku) here). When I first started on MMA I found that I really couldn't decide on personalities for my two OCs. This cost me big time because they came across as a bit bipolar and very, very one-dimensional.

All right, I think I've typed enough of an author's note here, so I'll end it off. Thank you to those who followed my original story, I hope you all will like the new version. And thank you reader(whether new or old) for reading my very, very, very long(over 300 words!) authors note. On to the new and improved version of Meeting my Ancestors!

~Souper Insane Ninja

March 28, 2013

* * *

><p>Emi Himura sighed as she placed the final dish in its proper place. The house was finally clean. She never cleaned the house. In the back of her mind she wondered why. Was it because she was lazy? She was self-employed as a novelist, so she had plenty of time to clean in between inspiration. So why...?<p>

No, she knew why. Rikia always took it upon himself to clean. A teenager cleaned something without being asked, without a bribe; he just did it.

"Such a sweet boy," she sighed to herself a she began to make tea.

"Hey, nee-chan I- Are you making tea?" Emi's younger brother, Atsushi, asked in surprise. Emi never took it upon herself to do anything around the dojo. She always claimed that she was 'making the money, not the mess'. To which Atsushi would remind her that HE was the one with a big position in a prominent company. Then a big argument would break out that would end in them giving each other the silent treatment.

"Yes, is that a problem Atsu-chan?" Emi asked sweetly.

"What's that- urgh, never mind," Atsushi grumbled, pinching the bridge of his nose, "Have you seen Tsukasa?"

Emi poured some hot water into a waiting tea cup, "Hmm, he said he was going to take Rikia to his study camp. Why?"

"Tou-san wanted to know," Atsushi said, pouring a cup of tea for himself.

He took a sip, but wrinkled his nose in distaste.

"What? Don't like it?" Emi asked, before taking a sip herself, "Tastes fine to me."

Atsushi dumped the rest of his tea down the sink, "You would like that rancid garbage."

Suddenly the phone rang. Emi stared at the cordless wall phone in surprise. No one ever called them. They usually just called the members of the family individually through their cellphones.

After about thirty seconds of continuous rings, Emi picked it up.

"Moshi, moshi?"

"Uh , yes, hello. This is Brian Tanaka of the Orange County Police Department in California," the man's Japanese was good, but slightly accented.

"Okay..." Emi said slowly, not understanding why the man had called.

"Is this the Kamiya-Kasshin dojo in Tokyo? Residence of the Himura family?" The man seemed unsure of himself, now.

"Yes..."

"All right...then who, may I ask, is speaking?"

"Himura Emi."

"Well Emi-san...I don't exactly know how to say this, but we've found your niece."

Emi knit her brow, "That's impossible, we were told that she, her brother, and her parents were killed in a car crash five years ago."

"Yes, well that's what our database said, too. But she's sitting right in front of me now. We've run all of the DNA tests and they match. Haruka Goldberg is sitting in front of me right now, alive and well."

The phone slid out of Emi's hand.

* * *

><p>There was a loud clattering on the other end of the line, making Brian pull the phone away from his ear.<p>

"Uh, Himura-san...Himura-san?" he called into the receiver, "Himura-san, are you all right?"

There was a bit of shuffling on the other end of the line, and then another man picked up.

"Himura Atsushi," the voice was very formal and business-like.

"Uh, hello-"

"What's this about Haruka?" Atsushi questioned, not even bothering to let Brian finish his sentence.

A few more minutes were spent on the phone, telling Atsushi what he had told Emi.

"I see," he began, and Brian could practically hear the gears turning in the man's head, "And she won't tell you how she survived?"

"No," Brian shook his head, even though Atsushi couldn't see, "She's been pretty tight-lipped. Lieutenant Conners is talking to her now, but I don't think he's getting much out of her."

"So, what would you like us to do?"

"I would like you and your family to come down here to pick her up," Brian said resolutely, "The best thing she can have right now is family."

"And why is that?"

"Well, as far as we know, she's been living on her own for five years. A little human comfort might do her some good."

"...Very well," Atsushi said after a minute of contemplation, "I will discuss this with my family. We will call back after we have made our decision."

"Oh, that would be wonderful Him-" before Brian could finish his sentence, Atsushi had hung up.

Brian sighed and scratched the hair just above his left ear. It had been a habit since he was a child, so the area was slowly balding, but it was a comforting gesture. Comfort was needed in such a stressful position.

"Listen kid, if you don't tell us anything, we can't help!" Brian winced from the lieutenant's shout. The interrogation room was small, and Conners' lungs were big, unfortunately for Brian.

The girl had been silent ever since she had been brought in, much to Conners' chagrin. She had been in the interrogation for three hours now, but she didn't look tired at all. She really acted strange, though. Most(if not all) of the teenagers they'd had in the room would be tired and bored after an hour. They'd give the police the needed information and the kid would be able to go home(or Juvenile Hall depending on why they were there). But this kid was something.

She always met Conners' eyes and, Brian couldn't help but notice, Conners was usually the first one to look away.

"She still giving you trouble, Michael?" Brian asked, walking up next to Conners.

"Oh, you know it," Conners growled, glaring at the girl. She simply met his glare with the same eerie stare.

The room was silent for a few moments before the girl spoke, "I'd rather speak with only you, Tanaka-san." But she hadn't spoken in English. No, she'd spoken in Japanese.

"What?" Conners asked, looking at the girl questioningly.

"She says-" Brian began, but was cut off by the girl once again.

"Only you," she spoke in Japanese once again.

"Sorry, sorry," he scratched the hair above his left ear, "She doesn't want to talk to you. She wants to talk to me and only me."

"But-" Conners caught the girl's stare before he could finish the thought.

_"Go,"_ it seemed to say, _"Let us talk."_

Conners scratched his mustache and looked away, "Fine."

And then he was gone.

Brian turned back to Haruka and spoke in English, "So, are you ready to talk?"

Haruka shook her head, "We need to speak in Japanese."

"Huh? Why? Lieutenant Conners is gone," Brian was still speaking in English.

Haruka pointed to the mirrored wall behind him. On the other side were a few members of the interrogation team, monitoring the conversation like hawks stalking their prey.

Brian tried his best to smile, "Oh, don't worry, you can trust them."

The corners of Haruka's mouth drew into a frown. Her eyes asked a silent question: _Why?_

Brian sighed and sent an apologetic look to the team behind the glass.

"All right, we'll speak in Japanese."

And so, they did.

* * *

><p>AN: Wow, I'm really liking this a lot better. Once again, I'm sorry to those who liked the old story, but I can't write a story I don't like. And I wasn't liking MMA, so I never came back.

Until now, that is.

I hope you all enjoyed it!

~Souper Insane Ninja


End file.
